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I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I got my gaijin toroku (alien registration) card today. It looks surprisingly like a driver's license, only everything on it is in kanji.
It was a remarkably easy process, probably because we had spent two hours applying for it three weeks ago. The hardest part was actually finding my way back to the Kawaguchi City Hall, which is like a 15-minute walk from the station, and more if you don't remember where you're going, which I didn't. At least today it was nice and rainy and cool out. It literally took about 5 minutes once I was in the building -- I just had to explain that I'd applied, blah blah, give them the proof of application paper, and a few minutes later they gave me my card.
I stopped in a random place in Kawaguchi for kaitensushi for lunch. It tasted ok but the selection was lousy and the staff were kind of rude, so I don't think I'll go back there. Turns out there's a CoCo Curry House right next to it, too, which I totally have to go to sometime. Maybe even tonight :) After eating sushi, I went to an arcade and played one game of PNM, just to give myself a few minutes to digest before walking back to the station.
Work was okay today. Nothing went spectacularly well or spectacularly poorly, I guess. My 9pm Headways ruled as always; the woman who has been out the last few weeks was back, but instead of using the book we spent the time talking about people being left-handed or right-handed and how it affects things in various sports/activities. Hopefully I can use my question I had in mind for next week's lesson instead, then... and as usual we also went overtime by about 25 minutes, but whatever. As expected they were very excited about the home run ball too!
Today various students have been suggesting Japanese hobbies for me after baseball season ends. One lady is really into tea ceremonies and ikebana and things like that, and the 9pm class says I should go take up some form of martial art. I wonder whether I can try to do many different things, maybe?
Oh yeah, and last night it was really cool outside since it rained, so I actually tried opening my windows and doors to get some air, but the problem is that I have no way to circulate air AND I have no screens, so it doesn't really work (and in the morning I figured it'd get hot anyway and wake me up). I'll have to do something about that sometime, but not now. I also tried going to a new grocery store last night called "Big A", which claims to be a "Discount Foods" store, open 24 hours, but they didn't have anything I was looking for, and the things they did have seemed like they were a lot more expensive than they are at Max Valu, which is bigger and also open 24 hours and is just as close to my house, now that I have a bike. So there.
You know what is really weird? One year ago tomorrow I got on a plane to go to Japan for 18 days. And one month ago tomorrow I left Seattle to go to Vancouver to start this whole adventure. Funny how time works -- I wonder how long I will still feel like the "new" person here?
It was a remarkably easy process, probably because we had spent two hours applying for it three weeks ago. The hardest part was actually finding my way back to the Kawaguchi City Hall, which is like a 15-minute walk from the station, and more if you don't remember where you're going, which I didn't. At least today it was nice and rainy and cool out. It literally took about 5 minutes once I was in the building -- I just had to explain that I'd applied, blah blah, give them the proof of application paper, and a few minutes later they gave me my card.
I stopped in a random place in Kawaguchi for kaitensushi for lunch. It tasted ok but the selection was lousy and the staff were kind of rude, so I don't think I'll go back there. Turns out there's a CoCo Curry House right next to it, too, which I totally have to go to sometime. Maybe even tonight :) After eating sushi, I went to an arcade and played one game of PNM, just to give myself a few minutes to digest before walking back to the station.
Work was okay today. Nothing went spectacularly well or spectacularly poorly, I guess. My 9pm Headways ruled as always; the woman who has been out the last few weeks was back, but instead of using the book we spent the time talking about people being left-handed or right-handed and how it affects things in various sports/activities. Hopefully I can use my question I had in mind for next week's lesson instead, then... and as usual we also went overtime by about 25 minutes, but whatever. As expected they were very excited about the home run ball too!
Today various students have been suggesting Japanese hobbies for me after baseball season ends. One lady is really into tea ceremonies and ikebana and things like that, and the 9pm class says I should go take up some form of martial art. I wonder whether I can try to do many different things, maybe?
Oh yeah, and last night it was really cool outside since it rained, so I actually tried opening my windows and doors to get some air, but the problem is that I have no way to circulate air AND I have no screens, so it doesn't really work (and in the morning I figured it'd get hot anyway and wake me up). I'll have to do something about that sometime, but not now. I also tried going to a new grocery store last night called "Big A", which claims to be a "Discount Foods" store, open 24 hours, but they didn't have anything I was looking for, and the things they did have seemed like they were a lot more expensive than they are at Max Valu, which is bigger and also open 24 hours and is just as close to my house, now that I have a bike. So there.
You know what is really weird? One year ago tomorrow I got on a plane to go to Japan for 18 days. And one month ago tomorrow I left Seattle to go to Vancouver to start this whole adventure. Funny how time works -- I wonder how long I will still feel like the "new" person here?
no subject
Based on one of my Japanese TAs describing her hobbies, I doubt it. She does kendo, yoga, and other stuff I forget. :P
Also on a weird note: I got back from Japan one month ago yesterday.